Punctuation Flashcards
If you have a series of questions that aren’t complete sentences, a question mark should be included after each fragment:
Can you believe that it’s ten below zero? or that it’s snowing? or that my electricity went out? or that the telephone has gone off? or that I’m completely out of snacks?
Seven guidelines for quotations: Guideline #1
Every time you change speakers, indent and make a new paragraph, even if the person quoted is just saying one word.
Quotation Guidelines #2
If you’re quoting more than one sentence from the same source (a person or a manuscript), put the closing quotation marks at the end of the speaker’s last sentence of that paragraph only; not at the end of each sentence.
Quotation Guidelines #3
If you’re quoting more than one paragraph from the same source put beginning quotation marks at the start of each paragraph of your quote and closing quotation marks at the end only.
Quotation Guideline #4
Use quotation marks to enclose the titles of short works (short poems, short stories, titles of articles, essays, chapters of books, songs, TV and radio episodes.
Quotation Guideline #5
If you’re using slang, technical terms, or oer expressions outside the normal usage, enclose them in quotation marks:
My grandmother didn’t know it it was a compliment or an insult when I described my best friend as “phat.”
Quotation Guideline #6
Remember that periods and commas go inside closing quotation marks: colons and semicolons go outside closing quotation marks.
Quotation Guideline #7
The two other end marks of punctuation–the question mark and the exclamation mark–go either inside or outside, depending on what’s being quoted. A question goes inside if what is being quoted is a question:
Did Mary say, “You must have fallen asleep”?
Single Quotation Marks
In the United States, single quotation marks are used for a quotation within a quotation:
Mark said, ‘I’ll be fine,’ but then he collapse,” cried Shameka.
Using Apostrophes #1
Contractions. An apostrophe often indicated that at least one letter has been omitted from a word.
Using Apostrophes, Possession
When you have plural nouns that end in -s, add an apostrophe after the final -s.
If a singular word ends in -s, form its possessive by adding -‘s (except in situations in which pronunciation would be difficult, such as Moses or Achilles).
Apostrophes, Joint Versus Individual Possession
Jim and Allison’s cars were stolen.
The possessive is used after the last person’s name only. This usage tells the reader Jim and Allison had joint ownership of the cars. But say they were neighbors.
Jim’s and Allison’s cars were stolen.
Using an Apostrophe to Form a Plural: A Rare Occasion
When you’re writing abbreviations that have more than one period.
M.D.’s
Dot your i’s and cross your t’s.
Commas with Quoted Material
If a quoted sentence is interrupted by words such as HE SAID or SHE REPLIED, use commas in this way:
“For this contest,” he said, “you need three pencils and two pieces of paper.”
Commas with Clauses, Phrases, Appositives, and Introductory Words
Use commas to set apart clauses (groups of words that have a subject and a predicate), participle phrases, and appositives (words or phrases that give information about a noun or pronoun) that aren’t necessary to the meaning of the sentence.
Commas
Commas are also used after introductory words such as exclamations, common expressions, and names used in direct address that aren’t necessary for the meaning of a sentence.
Commas Parenthetical Expression
Use commas around words that interrupt a sentence (these are called parenthetical expressions), as long as the words aren’t necessary.
The answer to the next question, Paula, can be found on page thirty-six.
Other Uses for Commas
Put a comma after the day of the week (if you’ve stated it).
I’ll be seeing you on Friday, Feb. 23, 2001, at half past seven.
If you’re writing only the day and month or the month and year, no comma in necessary: I’ll see you on Feb. 23.
Commas
Put a comma after the greeting of all friendly letters and the closing of all letters.
If a person’s title or degree follows his name, put commas around it: Please call Robert Householder, Ph.D., at your convenience.
Colons
In formal papers, a colon usually precedes a lengthy quotation.
In the greeting of a business letter.
In naming the volume and number of a magazine.
Semicolon
The most common use for a semicolon is joining two complete thoughts (independent clauses) into one sentence.
The manhunt took place in Los Angeles; Nashville, Indiana; Stratford, Connecticut; Winnenan, Oklahoma; Dallas; and Olympia.
